Spate of racist graffiti sparks police inquiry

There are reports that racially-offensive graffiti has appeared around an area of York

Police are investigating several suspected incidents of hate-related criminal damage after reports of racially-offensive graffiti on buildings in an area of York.

Foxwood Lane, Hob Moor and Chesney Fields are among the locations in which the graffiti has been reported, North Yorkshire Police said.

Officers are investigating whether there are connections with a similar incident at a nearby takeaway restaurant last month.

York councillor Emily Nelson, who joined the clean-up operation at Chesney Fields, said it was "depressing and upsetting to see yet another case of racist graffiti in our community".

"There is absolutely no place for racism or intimidation in Foxwood, a place I am proud to call my home," she said.

"We have residents of different nationalities, ethnicities and religions and they should be left to live their lives in peace, not targeted in this dreadful way."

She believed the incidents were the work of a "small minority", she added.

A force spokesperson said: "Several incidents involving racially-offensive phrases have been reported... over the past few days."

They appealed for anyone with potential information or footage relating to the incidents to come forward.

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